iceland

The Classicist: The Stylish World of Spirits & Luxury Hotel Guru Martin Miller

Filed under: Decor, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits, The Classicist

As befits a Brit who has his very own brand of gin, Martin Miller is more than just an entrepreneur; he's a bon viveur and connoisseur of everything from antiques and historic houses to leggy women, fine spirits and elaborately coiffed canines. The self-described "gypsy who never settled" began building an empire as a schoolboy in England which led to an estimated $40 million fortune and the birth of Martin Miller's Gin. Having sold his antiques guide business for a tidy sum, in 1999 Miller hit on the idea of creating a super premium gin better than anything else available at the time; developing the perfect gin regardless of "practical, fiscal or even geographic limitations" became something of a fixation, hence the spirit's slogan: "born of love, obsession and some degree of madness."

Miller's is a top drawer London dry gin made from ten carefully balanced botanicals that's transported 1,500 miles to Iceland following traditional copper pot still distillation to be mixed with the purest spring water on the globe. The result is a potent spirit with a strong citrus nose and taste, notes of juniper and a clean, soft finish. A Westbourne Strength variation ups the ABV from 40% to 45.2%, bringing the juniper to the forefront along with spicier notes and the same soft finish. Both bottles are stunning. That degree of good taste and craftsmanship extends to Miller's small empire of boutique luxury hotels in renovated historic structures, the first of which he opened to house his burgeoning collection of antiques.

Miller's four UK properties echo the eccentricity and artistic sensibility of their creator; showcasing his "maximalistic" approach to decor, they're positively overflowing with antiques and finds from his lifelong adventures. Here's a rundown [cont'd]:

Gallery: The World of Martin Miller

Tags: antiques, England, entrepreneur, gin, hotel, Iceland, London, luxury hotels, Martin Miller, Martin Millers Gin, spirits, UK

Continue reading “The Classicist: The Stylish World of Spirits & Luxury Hotel Guru Martin Miller”

TripAdvisor's Top Ten Hotel Pools

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

If your thoughts are already vacation-centered let me help you on your way. Travel site TripAdvisor has created a list of the top ten most amazing hotel pools from around the world as ranked by TripAdvisor editors and travelers. What makes a pool a top ranker? The view is a major factor, an infinity edge is a help, basically the pool has to transport the lucky swimmer into another world.

The top spot went to the Hotel Caruso Ravello in Ravello, Italy shown above. The hotel is situated on top of the mountains on the Amalfi coast. The 11th century palace has a heated infinity pool that offers timeless views.

Tags: atlantis, bahamas, bali, banyan tree, best hotel pools, Blue Lagoon, golden nugget, hotel pools, Iceland, las vegas, oman, santorini, seychelles, six senses, thailand, the library, turkey

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Chefs Serve Meal Cooked on Erupting Volcano

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

When Iceland's Fimmvorduhals volcano first started erupting several weeks ago hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes, but very quickly the traffic started moving the other direction as tourists flocked to see the spewing lava via helicopter and guided vehicle tours. One couple experienced it a little differently, though as they spent a romantic evening volcano-side eating a gourmet meal prepared and cooked directly on the hot lava. Fridgeir Eiriksso, the head chef at Reykjavik's Holt hotel, first came up with the idea and took three of his colleagues with him up the side of the mountain to find a good spot for cooking, saying 'We did not know what to expect, so we brought welder masks and gloves since we wanted to cook the food on the lava itself.'

The two customers paid about £650 each for transportation via helicopter to the site and a meal of soup, flaming lobster, monkfish, and shallots along with champagne and a beautiful view of the volcano's crater. The experiment was considered a great success but chef Eiriksso says there are no plans to offer it again.

Via Bornrich

Gallery: Dining on the Fimmvorduhals Volcano

Source

Tags: dining, iceland, stunt dining, volcano

William Grant's Spirits of Summer

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

When the weather finally warms up in these parts we look forward to sitting out in the garden with the sun, the birds, a good book and a tall cool drink. We recently had the chance to try some great new candidates for quaffing - three (relatively) recent entries and one true classic - courtesy of William Grant & Sons spirits. Reyka is the first and only vodka to be distilled and bottled in Iceland. The small-batch, hand-crafted, ultra-pure spirit is distilled in a copper still imported from Scotland using barley, wheat, and spring water filtered through 4,000 year-old lava rock. Milagro super premium tequila is crafted in small batches from estate-grown 100% blue agave hand-selected in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. Using traditional clay ovens, Milagro slow roasts the agave six times longer than most tequilas, and uses a triple distillation process that imparts exceptional smoothness.

Sailor Jerry Rum bears the signature of Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins, the father of old-school tattooing. Distilled to 92 proof, it's a strong, spiced, smooth spirit. Made from Sailor Jerry's personal recipe, it's handcrafted from pure, rich dark molasses, blending Carribean-style rum with vanilla, caramel and various spices. And Lillet, an aperitif blended from 85% wine and 15% citrus liqueurs from France, was established way back in 1872. The wines are carefully selected in the Podensac area and citrus liqueurs are produced through the maceration of cold fruit peels in pure distilled spirits over several months. It's then aged in oak to acquire a soft, rich character. We're partial to the Blanc variety with its hints of honey, candied orange, lime, and mint.

Tags: aperitif, France, Iceland, Lillet, Lillet blanc, LilletBlanc, Mexico, Milagro, Reyka, rum, Sailor Jerry, SailorJerry, summer cocktails, SummerCocktails, tequila, vodka, William Grant, William Grant Sons, WilliamGrant, WilliamGrantSons

Iceland In Washington, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

As you've probably heard, Iceland is in ongoing financial turmoil. The Wall Street Journal's Private Properties column reports that to lighten its load, Iceland's government has put four of its ambassadorial residences up for sale. The properties are located in Washington, New York, London and Oslo and could raise a total of more than $25 million. A Georgian-style townhouse in the Mayfair area of London is listed for £10 million and in New York City, Reykjavik is asking $5.6 million for the home of its United Nations ambassador, a four-bedroom apartment on Park Avenue at 55th Street.

Today's estate is the ambassadorial residence in Washington D.C. The brick home is in Kalorama Heights was built in 1928 and has been the home of the Ambassador of Iceland since 1965. The home is on a small .17 acre plot which includes a pool. The 10,000-square-foot mansion has ten bedrooms, formal rooms for entertaining and staff quarters. It is listed at $5.65 million.

Gallery: The Washington DC Home of Iceland's Ambassador